Single photon ionisation of self assembled monolayers

Self assembled monolayers formed from benzenethiol, diphenylsulphide and diphenyldisulphide have been analysed using secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), sputter neutral mass spectrometry (SNMS) and laser desorption photoionisation mass spectrometry (LDPI). The peak corresponding to the parent ion was much stronger in LDPI than with SIMS or SNMS analysis and fragmentation was lower. A useful yield of order 0.5% was obtained for LDPI from diphenyldisulphide